The anti-retaliation protection guaranteed under the recent financial regulatory reform doesn’t apply to claims made overseas, according to a Texas federal judge.Judge Nancy Atlas ruled Thursday that General Electiric could legally fire Khaled Asadi, an employee who made corruption claims against the company while working in Iraq, The Wall Street Journal’s Corruption Currents blog reported Tuesday.

Asadi sued GE in February, claiming he was fired after expressing concerns that the company was bribing an Iraqi official, according to Corruption Currents.